(AR) - The Book of the Apocalypse Revealed, Uncovering the Secrets That Were Foretold There and Have Lain Hidden until Now

959. That it may be known that by these words is not meant he who "takes away from the words of this book" as it is written in the literal sense, but he who takes away from the truths of doctrine which are in its spiritual sense, I will explain whence this is: The Word, which was dictated by the Lord, passed through the heavens of His celestial kingdom, and the heavens of His spiritual kingdom, and thus came to the man through whom it was written; wherefore the Word in its first origin is purely Divine. This Word, as it passed through the heavens of the Lord's celestial kingdom, was Divine celestial, and as it passed through the heavens of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, was Divine spiritual, and when it came to man, it became Divine natural. Hence it is that the natural sense of the Word contains in itself the spiritual sense, and this the celestial sense, and both a sense purely Divine, which does not appear to any man nor indeed to any angel. These things are adduced that it may be seen, that by "not adding nor taking away" anything from what is written in Revelation is meant in heaven, that not anything is to be added or taken away from the truths of doctrine concerning the Lord and concerning faith in Him. For it is this sense, and truth concerning life according to His commandments, from which is the sense of the letter, as has been said.